January

Now it is 1999. Happy New Year. I am remembering to write down the things that are working well in my garden.

Friday 1st January

Sometimes gardeners have to remember to find the successes and enjoy them - it's human nature to notice mistakes more.

Successful Garden List
• Lemony nasturtiums
• Mahogany nasturtiums
• Bright orange nasturtiums by the stables
• Green Iris Foliage Plant ( I wish I knew what it was called)
• My weedy variegated mallows.
• Tussocks. I like the tussocks.

Things that are not so good are:
• That silly rose whose flowers get "balled" (is it called Sylvia?)
• The JAM Garden, with no shape to it - maybe it needs a path. Or a new tree or two. Or (heaven forbid) a conifer...

Sunday 3rd January

I am writing lots of lists. I have shifted the cerinthes from Stephen's border - maybe daylilies would like it there. My digging of the Frisbee Border continues. I will put horse-poos on it and then shift in some plants. Cool.

Monday 4th January

I have finished the Frisbee Border. It is finished.

Sunday 10th January

Today I revisited Stephen's border. I weeded until it got too hot. There is something wrong in there - it is the silly sprawly conifer.

Tuesday 12th January

Stephen says that he rather likes that conifer. He always says that about plantings that are about to be removed. I will do the deed tomorrow and then shift the silver astelia from by the glass-house in and then see if he notices.

Wednesday 13th January

No problem! I did it. He hasn't noticed.

Friday 15th January

I hardly ever talk about the roses in this diary. They get taken totally for granted. I counted them today, and there are over 220 (I counted all the flower carpet cutting grown ones and the miniatures in the pots). I am impressed!

I think my favourite rose is Othello. My worst rose is one called The Swan (I think). It grows big and strong but the buds are packed so tight with petals they never unfold. I have lost patience with this rose and have biffed it.

Sunday 18th January

There's not much to do. Except to admire the garden, dead-head the roses and think about making borders bigger.

Monday 19th January

The Stables Border is bigger. I dug until the sun struck.

Tuesday 20th January

I watered. I weeded. I shifted hoses.

Friday 23rd January

I have decided to remodel the top of the JAM Garden. The seat will be shifted so its in a straight line with the glass-house. I am off to the river to get some more stones for the new bit of the path. Taj-dog is impressed, as he gets to go to the RIVER!

Saturday 24th January

Worked in the shade today putting half of the JAM seat down the path under the Wattles. It is recessed like the other one and I have planted Iris Japonica around the top side. Some Astrid hebes and some bargain bin flaxes are also in there. These will give a sitting gardener some shelter from the nor-easterly wind. Cool.

Sunday 25th January

I have been sitting on my new seats today, thinking about going back to work. Humph...